Annual Salary
variable
Average UK salary in 2019 was £30,378
(source Office for National Statistics)
Swap to Childcare or Education or go back to all job sectors
Swap to Childcare or Education or go back to all job sectors
British Sign Language (BSL) teachers teach sign language to children, young people and adults, and teach other subjects using sign language.
Average UK salary in 2019 was £30,378
(source Office for National Statistics)
You could work: evenings; occasionally
There will be
7% more British Sign Language teacher jobs in 2026.
In your local area
Your day-to-day duties will depend on the age group you're working with, but you may:
You could work at a school, at a special needs school, at a language school, at a college or in the community.
You can get into this job through:
You can do a foundation degree or a degree in British Sign Language (BSL) and deaf studies.
Some knowledge of BSL will be helpful when you apply, though this is not always essential.
Universities will want to know about your reasons for applying and will assess your BSL skills before you start.
After finishing your course, you could go on to complete a teaching qualification, like a postgraduate certificate in education (PGCE), which you may need if you want to teach in schools.
You'll usually need:
You can do a Level 1 and 2 Certificate in British Sign Language (BSL) before moving on to a higher level qualification.
Employers including schools and colleges usually look for a minimum of a Level 3 or 4 Certificate in British Sign Language. Some will ask for a Level 6 Certificate.
You'll also be expected to have a qualification in your own subject area aside from BSL, and usually a teaching award. For example a Level 4 or 5 Diploma in Education and Training to teach in a college.
You can start as a sign language teaching assistant or communication support worker and do training on the job to get a British Sign Language (BSL) qualification at level 3 or higher. You can then do further study for a teaching or training qualification to become a BSL teacher.
You can also train in BSL, if you're already working as a teacher in a school or college.
You can complete British Sign Language (BSL) qualifications with a professional body like Signature or the Institute of British Sign Language. These organisations offer qualifications from introductory level up to level 6.
It is recommended that you work towards a Level 6 Certificate in British Sign Language, if you want be a BSL teacher.
You'll need to:
You can find out more about how to become a British Sign Language teacher from Signature and the Institute of British Sign Language.
You could become a British Sign Language (BSL) teaching co-ordinator in a school or college, or take on responsibility for building links with employers to offer work experience opportunities to students.
You could also do further training to broaden your employment options, including courses in lipspeaking, deafblind communication and deaf awareness.
You could work freelance or set up your own BSL teacher agency, supplying teachers who have BSL skills.
You'll need: